The present invention relates to a game device, particularly a racket such as is used in tennis, badminton, squash, paddle ball and other similar games employing a racket having a flat hitting portion, normally strung, with an elongated portion terminating in a handle or grip portion. The grip or handle portion which the hand engages is of critical importance to the player in affecting the skill with which he may use the racket. Not only the size and feel of the grip, but the accuracy with which it may facilitate holding the racket in proper orientation to the plane of the stroke are vital to accurate control in hitting the ball, and placing its point of impact where desired in the court.
While similar accuracy of grip registration with the hitting surface is required in other sports or games, e.g., golf, the tennis player not only must shift his grasp on the racket very rapidly for different strokes, he must do so by feel--there is seldom time to look and place the handle in the hand properly by visual reference. Although some players use a grip which is not changed in making either a forehand or backhand stroke, the usual practice for an experienced player requires as many as five different precise grasps on the racket, to position the head precisely for the swing to be used. Thus, one orientation of grasp is required for the forehand, one for the backhand, a shortened version of each for forehand and backhand volleys at the net, and another for serving or overhead smashes (and these latter two grasps may vary for some players).
To exemplify the required accuracy of registration of the grasp with the orientation of the racket face, on a low flat drive from the baseline, wherein it is desirable to achieve a low trajectory with considerable velocity on which the ball should clear the net by about three inches, an error or misalignment of grasp wherein the surface of the handle is rotated in the hand about 2 degrees (or only about 1/32nd inch on the surface of the grip portion) can result in the ball hitting the net 18 to 20 inches below the top, or to clear it by almost that same distance (all other factors assumed constant) and consequently falling outside the playing surface of the court.
In past years devices or structures have been proposed or constructed with the intent of facilitating greater accuracy of registration of the position of the handle within the hand. U.S. Pat. No. 259,448, issued in 1882, proposed a handle with three bulges for positioning the hand. Much more recently U.S. letters patent have issued for an attachment to be externally mounted for positioning the thumb (No. 3,817,521) and for a contoured grip (No. 3,905,589). These additions of auxiliary devices, however, have not changed the basic standard shape of the handle of the racket, which has remained substantially square in cross-section, with the corners bevelled to allow for easier gripping. The resultant shape is an irregular octagon, and it is at best difficult to ensure proper orientation of the racket head with only a single hand grasp of the handle.